Sorrow for Sin

I took down my Christmas tree yesterday.  I have done this now for many years.  It’s always bitter sweet but for many years, I have had a little ritual to help me enjoy it:  A cup of some wonderful hot drink and Andrea Bocelli singing Christmas songs in the background.  It didn’t work for me this year.  No, this year there was no sweet, just bitter.

This year was different for many reasons.  So, every ornament seemed to make me sad.  They all screamed, “LIFE HAS CHANGED…YOU”RE GETTING OLD…EVERYTHING IS GOING TO DIE!”  Happy thoughts, huh?  Every Andrea Bocelli song made me sob.  I sat down trying to get a grip when a thought hurled through my mind: When have I been this sorrowful over my sin?  When have I been this sorrowful over the fact that Jesus suffered more than I could ever imagine for my sin?  Have I wept over that lately?  No, I’m crying over Christmas ornaments and children growing up and wrinkles showing up and energy giving up.  Why?  Because I’ve come to love the world more than I should.

Here’s what Jesus says about the world: “They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.  Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.”  And what does the Word say about the world?   “Do not love the world nor the things in the world.  If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.  The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.”  (John 17:16 & 17; 1 John 2:15-17)

Calm down now!  Remember you were bought with a price.  Honor God with your very being.  Enjoy life but don’t cling to it as your “Forever”.  Cling to Jesus.  He loves you so much He died to be with you.  Be cleansed by the Word, refreshed, renewed.  It’s a new year full of wonderful possibilities of use by the God of all creation!  Think like you believe that.  And if you’re going to be sorrowful, be sorrowful by the fact that you stray from right thinking!